Quick Take
Quick Take: IBM stopped new Power E1050 (9043-MRX) orders on 31 July 2026, but China keeps ordering until 30 July 2027. So a China project has two real columns: one more E1050 inside the window, or a same-serial MES to Power E1150 (9043-MRU). The 9 October 2026 catalog carries the model conversion and 227 feature conversions. Price is quote-only and pending confirmation.
Why does a China project still have until 30 July 2027?
Quick Answer: Announcement AD26-0012 (13 January 2026) withdrew the Power E1050 and seven other Power10 models from new orders on 31 July 2026, except in China and South Korea, which can order until 30 July 2027. That is about 12 months more than other markets. MES upgrades and activations on installed machines were not withdrawn.
Typical use case: a bank or insurer runs core batch and Db2 on an E1050 bought in 2023. The 2027 budget asks for about 25% more cores and a second box for the DR room. The tender team copies last year's line: “IBM E1050, same configuration.” In China that line is still orderable until 30 July 2027. After that date it is not. This is a typical bid pattern, not a named customer.
The window changes the decision. Elsewhere the only same-model path is gone; in China you can still compare buying the old model against upgrading the installed one. The trap is treating the window as “no change needed.” A tender that runs past 30 July 2027, or a delivery that slips, turns a valid line into an unorderable one.
| Model | Machine type | Status on 20 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Power E1050 (Power10) | 9043-MRX | Withdrawn 31 Jul 2026; China and South Korea to 30 Jul 2027 |
| Power E1150 (Power11) | 9043-MRU | Generally available since 8 Jul 2025 (AD25-0034) |
| Power E1080 (Power10) | 9080-HEX | Withdrawn — separate upgrade path to E1180 |
- Fit: China 政企 owners of a 9043-MRX who must add cores, or a DR box, inside the 2027 budget; AIX or IBM i workloads with serial-tied licensing.
- Unfit: E1080 owners; S1024 or S1022 scale-out owners; projects that already decided a 信创 platform migration (that is a different problem).
What is a same-serial upgrade from E1050 to E1150?
Quick Answer: A serial number-preserving upgrade is an IBM MES that converts the installed E1050 into an E1150 while it keeps its system serial. IBM says memory modules and I/O adapters can migrate, and scheduled availability from Q4 2025. The 9 October 2026 catalog lists the 9043-MRX to 9043-MRU model conversion line.
Think of a new engine in the same registered car. The registration, insurance and service history stay. A new-serial box is a second car: new asset card, new depreciation schedule, and software entitlements to move. For a 政企 asset register, that difference shows up in the audit file, not just in the price.
IBM's Redbook SG24-8589 (October 2025) also notes that E1050 and E1150 systems can share one Power Enterprise Pools 2.0 pool. That lets a project add capacity in steps. Whether the MES is orderable in China on your date, and its price, are pending confirmation on a dated quote.
How does Power E1150 compare with E1050 on the bid sheet?
Quick Answer: Same 4U frame, 64 DDIMM slots and 16 TB maximum. Power11 modules of 16, 24 or 30 cores take a four-socket box from 96 to 120 cores, about 25% more. Memory moves to DDR5 at 4000 MHz with about 25% more bandwidth. Each socket has 2 spare cores.
| Item | E1050 (9043-MRX) | E1150 (9043-MRU) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor modules | 12-core EPEU; 18-core EPEV; 24-core EPGW | 16-core EPEX; 24-core EPEY; 30-core EPEZ |
| Max cores, 4 sockets | 96 | 120 (about +25%) |
| Memory on new systems | DDR4 3200/2933 MHz or DDR5 3200 MHz | DDR5 4000 MHz only |
| Memory slots / max | 64 / 16 TB | 64 / 16 TB |
| Processor mixing | — | One processor feature code per server |
| PCIe | — | 11 slots, 8 Gen5-capable; 10 U.2 NVMe bays |
For a 双规比选 technical deviation table, put cores, memory speed and spare cores as three separate rows. A reviewer can then see which column meets the tender KPI without reading a datasheet.
Which lines did the 9 October 2026 catalog add?
Quick Answer: Machine type 9043 went from 2 catalog rows on 12 September 2026 to 1,764 on 9 October 2026. The 1,762 new rows are 1,534 orderable features, 227 feature conversions and 1 model conversion. Nothing was removed and no price moved. IBM stays quote-only.
| Conversion type | Rows | On the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Memory activation | 107 | e.g. EMCQ 100GB (MRX) → EMM4 100GB DDR5 |
| Processor activation | 69 | e.g. EPYT → EPUT (core for MRU) |
| Memory DDIMM | 20 | EM75–EM7J or EMFH–EMFL → EM5P–EM5S |
| Processor module | 12 | EPEU / EPEV / EPGW → EPEX / EPEY / EPEZ |
| I/O, Pools 2.0, PowerVM, misc | 19 | Carry-over and enablement |
| Model conversion | 1 | 9043-MRX → 9043-MRU, same serial |
The IBM catalog now lists 217,683 part numbers, 1,776 more than on 12 September. A catalog row proves the code exists. It does not set a price or a 13% special VAT invoice amount; those follow the dated quote.
Can DDR4 and DDR5 share one E1150?
Quick Answer: No. IBM lets DDR4 DDIMMs migrate from an E1050, but the whole E1150 must then be DDR4. DDR4 and DDR5 cannot mix in one E1150. New E1150 systems ship DDR5 at 4000 MHz only. Processor feature codes cannot be mixed either: one EPEX, EPEY or EPEZ per server.
Like a train on one track gauge: keep all old carriages, or replace them all. The catalog shows three memory families, and bid sheets confuse them:
- DDR4: EM75 64GB, EM76 128GB, EM77 256GB, EM7J 512GB.
- E1050-era DDR5: EMFH 64GB, EMFJ 128GB, EMFK 256GB, EMFL 512GB.
- E1150 DDR5 4000 MHz: EM5P 64GB, EM5Q 128GB, EM5R 256GB, EM5S 512GB.
A line that says “DDR5 128GB” is not a part number: EMFJ and EM5Q are different. In April 2026 IBM also announced a hardware withdrawal of 4U DDR4 DDIMMs on selected Power servers. If Column B keeps DDR4, confirm spare DDIMMs are still orderable before you sign.
How do you lay out the two-column 偏离表?
Quick Answer: Column A buys one more E1050 before 30 July 2027: new serial, Power10, up to 96 cores. Column B converts the installed E1050 to E1150: same serial, up to 120 cores, one memory decision. Use the same KPI and the same 13% VAT basis in both. A 信创 alternative is a third deviation column, never a certified IBM part number.
| Row | Column A: new E1050 | Column B: MES to E1150 |
|---|---|---|
| Order deadline | 30 Jul 2027 in China | Open; availability on date pending confirmation |
| Serial / asset card | New | Same |
| Max cores | 96 | 120 |
| Memory | Matches existing fleet | All DDR4 migrated or all DDR5 4000 MHz |
| Activations | Bought new | Converted (69 core + 107 memory rows) |
| 13% special VAT invoice | Per line on the dated quote | Per conversion line on the dated quote |
The cost of waiting is concrete: if the tender drags past 30 July 2027, Column A disappears and the bid has to be re-issued. Write the deadline in the header, not in a footnote.
How do you quote it, step by step?
Quick Answer: Confirm 9043-MRX and the serial. Pull the feature list. Draw Column A and Column B. Make one memory and one processor decision. Convert activations. Send one sheet; TAOHAN maps it against the 9 October 2026 catalog in 1 business day.
- Step 1 — Confirm the machine type — The box must read 9043-MRX. A 9080-HEX (E1080) goes to E1180, not E1150. Note the serial.
- Step 2 — Pull the feature list — Processor module code, memory codes × quantity, activated cores and GB, Pools 2.0 yes or no.
- Step 3 — Draw two columns — Column A: one more E1050 before 30 Jul 2027 (new serial). Column B: same-serial MES to E1150. Same KPI, same 13% VAT basis.
- Step 4 — Make one memory decision — For Column B: all DDR4 migrated, or all DDR5 4000 MHz (EM5P–EM5S). Processor codes too: one EPEX, EPEY or EPEZ for every socket.
- Step 5 — Convert activations — Map core and memory activations to their conversion codes (69 and 107 rows). Do not re-buy them.
- Step 6 — Send one sheet — TAOHAN maps each line against the 9 October 2026 catalog and returns the 偏离表 in 1 business day. Price pending confirmation.
Small first step: send only the serial and the current feature list. That is enough to draw both columns.
Common pitfalls on E1050 bids
Quick Answer: The costly misses are letting a tender run past 30 July 2027 with a new E1050 line, mixing DDR4 and DDR5 or two processor sizes in one E1150, treating EMFx as EM5x, re-buying activations, and writing a domestic box as an IBM part number.
- Tender past 30 Jul 2027: Column A becomes unorderable. Put the date in the header.
- Half DDR4, half DDR5: not supported in one E1150.
- Two processor sizes: processor feature codes cannot be mixed in an E1150.
- EMFx read as EM5x: different codes; use the conversion row.
- Re-bought activations: 176 activation conversion rows exist.
- Domestic box as IBM PID: deviation column only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Answer: China can order new E1050s until 30 July 2027. The E1150 upgrade keeps the serial. DDR4 can migrate but not alongside DDR5. Activations convert by code: 69 core rows and 107 memory rows. 信创 alternatives are a deviation column. Price and 13% VAT pending confirmation.
Yes, until 30 July 2027. AD26-0012 withdrew the E1050 (9043-MRX) from new orders on 31 July 2026 everywhere except China and South Korea, which keep ordering for about 12 more months. Put that date on the 偏离表 header. Price and 13% VAT amounts are pending confirmation on a dated quote.
Yes. IBM describes E1050 to E1150 as a serial number-preserving upgrade, and existing memory modules and I/O adapters can migrate. The catalog dated 9 October 2026 carries the 9043-MRX to 9043-MRU model conversion. Asset records and serial-tied software stay on the same machine.
No. DDR4 DDIMMs can migrate from the E1050, but then the whole E1150 must be DDR4. New E1150 systems ship DDR5 at 4000 MHz only. Write one memory decision per server on the 偏离表.
They should convert, not be re-bought. The 9 October 2026 catalog lists 69 processor-activation and 107 memory-activation conversion rows. What each conversion costs is quote-only and pending confirmation, and the 13% special VAT invoice follows those dated lines.
Only as a deviation row, not as a certified IBM substitute part number. AIX and IBM i workloads do not move to another platform by swapping a box. If the tender allows 信创 alternatives, list them as a separate column with the migration work stated.
Email the serial, machine type, processor and memory feature codes, activated cores and GB, and the target core count to info@021taohan.com, or call 177-0882-1321. TAOHAN returns a two-column 偏离表 in one business day.
References
Quick Answer: Lifecycle dates come from IBM's lifecycle pages for 9043-MRX and 9043-MRU. The China and South Korea date comes from AD26-0012 as reported by IT Jungle. Upgrade and memory rules come from Redbook SG24-8589. Catalog counts are from the 9 October 2026 IBM revision, checked 20 October 2026.
- IBM — Power E1050 (9043-MRX) lifecycle: withdrawn 31 Jul 2026, AD26-0012
- IBM — Power E1150 (9043-MRU) lifecycle: GA 8 Jul 2025, AD25-0034
- IBM Redbook SG24-8589 — Power11 E1150 Introduction and Technical Overview (Oct 2025)
- IBM Power announcements
- IT Jungle — IBM starts winding down Power10 system sales (9 Feb 2026)
Key Takeaway
Key Takeaway: China can still order a new Power E1050 until 30 July 2027; most markets stopped on 31 July 2026. Put both columns on the 偏离表: one more E1050, or a same-serial MES to E1150 with one memory decision and converted activations. TAOHAN maps both against the 9 October 2026 catalog. Price and 13% VAT pending confirmation.